Becoming Israel

The Lord Jesus arrived in Israel two thousand years ago in order to show Israel a new way of being Israel. Of course this “new” way was the way that God had always intended; the new way was actually the old way. A new commandment I give you, John said, but it is not actually a new commandment.

The new way of being Israel was settled however in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus because He was the only one who lived out this new way of being Israel perfectly. Others before Him—Abraham, Moses, Isaiah—had lived it out faithfully, but Jesus did it perfectly. And in doing it perfectly, He brought Israel into the maturity of the Church.

But the Church was not established in this way so that we could put all settings on autopilot, and wait for the Second Coming. As we look at the history of the Church, we see that we must constantly learn, generation after generation, what it means to be Israel.

We learn this in the worship of God, as we gather week after week. We invoke the presence and blessing of God through Christ. We confess our sins. We ascend to the heavenly Jerusalem, the church of the firstborn. We hear the word of Christ proclaimed. We sing psalms and hymns. And we come to this bread, and this cup.

In all these activities, we are becoming Israel, for we are worshiping and beholding the true Israel, the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a foundational law that you become like what you worship, and what you are actually becoming reveals to the world what you actually worship.

So we are here worshiping our Father and God through his Son Jesus Christ. We behold Him in the instruments He has given us to behold Him. These instruments are not just adequate to behold Him. If we come in faith, these instruments, these ordinances, are perfectly suited to enable us to behold. So believe, and eat. Believe, and drink.

So come, and welcome, to Jesus Christ.